A Dream Come True
by missanna444
Summary: A few months after the strike ends, Jack goes to Santa Fe. Without a warning, without a goodbye. While the boys are disappointed at him, it is one particular reporter who is most grieved. Will Jack ever come back? Will he realize just how much he is needed? How will Katherine deal with his absence?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! This is my first fanfic for Newsies, but I love Newsies so much! Enjoy!**

Santa Fe… It was what Jack had always wanted. And now he had what he wanted. A few months after the strike ended, Jack left for the city of his dreams, leaving Katherine and the boys behind. No goodbyes. Nothing. When they woke the next morning, he was gone. When Katherine didn't see him on the streets, she went to find the boys.

"Davey! Thank goodness I found you! Have you seen Jack?" she asked, finding Davey selling papers with Crutchie. The young man shrugged.

"Sorry, Katherine. None of us know where he went." he said. She turned to Crutchie.

"What about you, Crutchie? Any ideas?" she asked. Crutchie looked nervous for a moment. He shifted on his good leg. "Crutchie, do you know something?"

"N-no. Well… yeah. See, he told me not to say anything. But, he wanted me to give you this." he said, handing her and envelope.

"Where'd he get an envelope?" Katherine wondered out loud.

"He wanted you to promise something before you opened it. He said, 'Tell her not to come looking for me. Make her promise.' Do ya promise?" Crutchie said. Katherine nodded.

"Then read it. I gotta get going. Not many people to sell papes to around here. C'mon Davey." he said, hobbling off. He knew she'd want to be alone. Davey began to follow.

"Davey wait!" Katherine stopped him. "Please stay." When Davey looked unsure, she glared at him. He sighed and nervously moved back towards her. Katherine opened the letter with shaking hands. She knew that it wouldn't be what she wanted to hear. She took out the letter. It read:

"_Hey Ace,_

_Bet you didn't know I could write. Well, I can't. So I had someone write it for me. Anyway, I bet you got nervous when you couldn't find me this morning. I left. I went to Santa Fe. I don't know how long I'll be gone. Maybe I won't come back. Let this be my good-bye. _

_I'm sorry I didn't do this in person, but I hate goodbyes. Especially if I'm leaving people I care about. Yeah, you read that right. I care about you. I know what you're thinking. 'If you care so much, why'd you leave?' I don't belong here. You know that. Believe me, this has nothing to do with you or the newsies. You are the most wonderful person I've ever met. It pains me to leave you, but I must. _

_I love you,_

_Jack Kelly"_

Katherine stood there, the world spinning before her. Just a few months ago, he'd kissed her for the first time and it felt so right. She had been looking forward to today to see him again. And now… she couldn't. She just couldn't. For a while she didn't move. She remembered Davey was there, but it didn't stop her tears. One fell on the page, then another. She tucked the letter into her skirt pocket, to protect it. Finally, she broke. She almost collapsed on the ground, but Davey caught her. The boy realized why she said she needed him to be there. She needed comfort.

"Hey, it's-it's okay." Davey didn't even know what was going on, but he held her and let her cry. When she calmed down a little, he decide to take her to Medda's theater. Katherine could be alone there. As they walked, he thought about how much Jack must have meant to her. He knew Katherine to be very strong and independant. Yet, here she was, sobbing because of the leader of the strike.

It only took a few moments to get to Medda's. Luckily for them, Medda was the only one there.

"What happened to her?" she asked. Katherine collected enough to shakily explain.

"Jack… Santa Fe… didn't say goodbye." she gave up and just handed Medda the letter. Medda read it over and nodded.

"Davey, let's give her some space. We'll just be in the next room, okay?" she said, then turned to Katherine for the second sentence. Katherine sat on a crate as the other two went over to the next room. She no longer felt sad, now she more angry. How could he leave her like this? She knew Santa Fe was important to Jack, but he could've told her his plans. She wiped her tears. She took a breath. He didn't want her to go looking for him? Well, no matter how much she missed him, she wouldn't look for him. If he was going to do this to her, she didn't need him.

Katherine stood a few minutes later and went to find Davey and Medda.

"Hello, dear." said the performer when she entered the room. "Feeling okay?" Katherine nodded, giving a wry smile. She turned to Davey.

"Sorry I put you through that." she said with a small laugh.

"Katherine, I was glad to be there. Otherwise, you woulda been crying out on the streets by yourself." he said, returning the smile, knowing full well that she clearly wasn't okay.

**Jack's POV**

It was a few days later. Jack had made some quick friends when he arrived in Santa Fe. They were kind enough to let him stay with them until he had a place of his own. He thought about the guys, who were probably angry with him. They likely found out where he was when Katherine read the letter. Katherine… if only she could've come with him. Of course, that would ruin why he'd left in the first place.

Poor Katherine. But she was strong enough to handle it. Jack knew that. Even so, he didn't want to put her through this. She was too special. It wasn't that he no longer loved her. In fact, he loved her more each day. When they started being a couple, they had to sneak around her father. While Pulitzer accepted Jack now, he did not approve. He always gave Jack stares that said, "Don't you dare hurt her." Do not be mistaken, Jack was not afraid of Pulitzer. It just made him uncomfortable. He had nowhere to run to… except Santa Fe.

**First chapter was bad, and a bit OOC, but it'll get better. Also there will be more dialogue in future chapters. **

**Until next time,**

**Annette :) **


	2. Chapter 2

Hi. I promise the ending to this will be happy. I just have to torture these two a little longer or this would be pointless. Enjoy! Or don't, but I think you will.

Katherine's POV

Three weeks, and still nothing. She understood that mail was slow, but she was hoping for a letter. Jack wouldn't stop all contact, would he? Well, Katherine knew she wouldn't. Even if he never responded, at least he'd know how she was doing. Just as she was putting paper in her typewriter, Crutchie came by to say hello. The Newsies were such great people. They knew how upset the whole situation made her and they kept her company when they had the chance.

"Hey Katherine!" Crutchie said, seating himself next to her.

"Hi." she said, smiling at him. He was such a funny person that she had to smile. He glanced over at her typewriter.

"You writin' another story?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Actually, no. I'm writing Jack a letter. I don't know his address, but I know he's in Santa Fe." Katherine explained.

"Did he send ya something?" Crutchie asked, slightly confused.

"No, but he's probably wondering how I am." she said and began to type.

Jack's POV

Jack was glad to have new friends in Santa Fe. Though he had to admit, he missed the boys in New York. He was lying on a bed, an actual bed, when his friend Jerry entered the room.

"Hey Jack, looks like one of your New York friends is looking for you. Sent a letter." he said. Jack practically lept at Jerry, grabbing the letter. It was typed. There was only one person it could be from. It read:

"Hi Jack,

You said I couldn't come find you, but you didn't say I couldn't write to you. I hope, for the sake of myself and the newsies, that you had a good reason to leave. I get the feeling that part of it was my father. But that isn't all, is it? Was it something the boys did? Did someone hurt them? Please tell me. I want to help. And I want you back.

As for how I am, I have actually survived without you. My father was not happy to hear of your disappearence. He wonders how I can possibly love someone like you. Other than that, everyone back home is well. Someone kissed Romeo as thanks for the paper he sold her. Obviously, he enjoyed it. I've been writing more stories for the newspaper. Those papers sell so quickly now.

Love,

Katherine"

Jack stared at the page in his hands. He knew he needed to go back, but he had a real job here. He couldn't just quit. Plus, he was making so much more money! The least he could do is to write back. And he did.

Katherine's POV

A week later, a letter arrived from Jack. He explained why he had left. Part of it was as Katherine had expected. Pulitzer had confronted Jack a few times about dating Katherine. No wonder he was so uneasy. But she hadn't expected the second part. The fights that occurred during the strike had given Jack nightmares for weeks. They were almost gone when Crutchie was beat up again. This time, by people who thought it was funny to hurt him. Jack had been there when it happened. According to him, these teenagers were huge boys who could break your neck in an instant. Jack's nightmares were back.

Now Katherine understood, but it troubled her that he never told her. And Crutchie didn't either. Jack said in the letter that he might come back, but it would be awfully difficult to leave his new job. When Katherine read the letter, she immediately gathered up the boys.

"So Jack's coming back? " asked Les. Davey looked to Katherine to handle this.

"Yes. He's coming back, he's just not sure when." she told the little boy. She was half lying, but part of her believed it. Les cheered. He missed Jack.

Jack's POV

He had argued with the illustration company to let him go. They mentioned how much they needed him working for them. Jack countered this with a few small lies about why he needed to go home. The company said how they'd go bankrupt without him. This went on for over an hour. Finally, the agreement was this: Jack would draw the pictures they needed and send them by mail.

Jack said goodbye to his new friends.

"Maybe I'll come visit. But this time, I'll bring my girl with me." he joked. The goodbyes were easy this time. Jack hopped on the next train to New York City. He decided not to tell Katherine or the boys he was coming. He thought it would be nice to surprise them. He couldn't wait to see the look on Katherine's face when he showed up at her door. The journey was a few days on the train. It was long, cramped, and uncomfortable. He decided he would visit Katherine first. As much as he loved the boys, he also loved Katherine. Love. Yes, that's what he felt. As he got nearer to New York, he became nervous.

What if she didn't see him? What if she pushed him away? What if she told her father and now Pulitzer wouldn't let Jack near her? And yet, he knew that she wanted to see him. And even if Pulitzer didn't like him, he didn't care. He loved Katherine, and no one was going to stop him.

Some hours later, Jack stepped off the train. He knew how he wanted to surprise Katherine. He ran to the building she lived in. He knew which window was hers. He climbed the fire escape until he found it. As he looked in, he saw her typing on her typewriter. He took a deep breath.

Jack knocked on the window.


	3. Chapter 3

I'm really on a role with this one! I usually don't post this fast, but I got really excited with this. Enjoy!

Katherine's POV

She was in the zone. For once, she could concentrate on her work and not on missing Jack. Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on her window. She jumped out of her seat in surprise, hitting her hand on her desk by accident. She winced as she turned to see what the sound was. It was Jack. He was grinning at her through the window. Thinking she was hallucinating, she closed the shade on the window.

"Hey Ace! What are ya doing? It's me!" called the voice at the window. Katherine stopped cold. Ace. Only Jack could call her that. She opened the shade just enough to see him. He moved his face to the opening in the shade.

"Hi." he grinned. Katherine opened the shade all the way. He motioned for her to climb onto the fire escape next to him. A smile was beginning to form on Katherine's face. She opened the window fully and climbed out. For a moment, they stared stared at each other. Neither spoke. Jack looked at the hand she had hit on her desk.

"Didn't hurt ya, did I?" he asked, taking hold of it. After another five seconds of stunned silence, Katherine leapt into his arms and kissed him. Jack wasted no time returning the kiss. When the broke apart, they sat together, still holding each other. Katherine forgot all her anger towards him. She laid her head on his chest.

"I can't believe I left you. I missed you too much." Jack whispered.

"I missed you more. Don't ever leave me again." Katherine replied. Jack nodded.

"I don't think it's possible." he sighed. They stayed like that for quite awhile. Katherine was quite tired, considering it was the middle of the night. She just listened to Jack's heartbeat and breathing. Soon, she drifted off to sleep. Jack looked at her. Boy, she sure was pretty.

He wanted to move her into her bedroom so she'd be comfortable. But he was afraid of waking her. He felt her shift in her sleep. He shifted slightly. He put his head against hers and closed his eyes. He drifted off into a calm and dreamless sleep.

The next morning, Katherine woke early. She stirred a little and remembered the events of last night. She tried to move without waking Jack. No success.

Jack's POV

"Hey... Where ya going?" he asked sleepily. Katherine grinned.

"To work. And you should go see the boys. I love you." she said. She kissed him quickly before leaving. Jack figured he should leave before anyone saw him. He climbed down the stairs and went to find one of the boys.

It turned out they were waiting for him. Davey had seen Jack and gathered the others. Jack sure was surprised to see them.

"Davey! Crutchie! Les!" he cried. Les ran to him and hugged him. Everyone ran to greet Jack.

"Where was ya?" asked Romeo. He had been too distracted lately to have heard where he had been.

"I've been to Santa Fe. It's a great place, but I realized something. It's not the place that matters so much, it's the people in it. That's why I came back." Jack explained.

"I bet you came back to be with Katherine!" Romeo teased.

"When I say 'people', that includes her." Jack pointed out, not denying the truth in what Romeo had said. The other boys grinned.

"You seen her yet?" asked Davey.

"Yeah. That's the first place I went after I got here. Let's just say she was happy to see me." Jack smiled. "Why ain't you guys selling papers right now?"

"We was, but we felt it was more important to see you." commented one of the boys.

"I suggest you get back to work!" Jack said. "But I think I'll join you." And with that, they went off to their posts to sell papers.

The next evening, Katherine and Jack were sitting up on the roof, watching the sunset.

"Jack, why didn't you come to me when you had your nightmares? I could've helped you. You wouldn't have had to run away." Katherine wondered.

"I don't really know. I guess I didn't want you to know that I couldn't handle it myself." he said. After a few more minutes of silence, Katherine asked another question.

"Do dreams really come true in Santa Fe?" she remembered something he had once said.

"Yeah. Yeah they do." he grinned. Katherine shifted her position next to him.

"Then why'd you come back?" she asked. Jack touched his fingertips to her cheek.

"When I was in Santa Fe, I realized something. Being there wasn't my dream. You are." he said. Katherine wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"I love you, Jack Kelly."

"I love you too, Katherine."


	4. Chapter 4

Warning: some scenes may be to adorable to handle. Just saying. Enjoy!

Jack's POV

Five years later. It felt like such a long time. Jack and Katherine were still together. Ever since Jack returned five years ago, the two were inseparable. Katherine's birthday was coming up and Jack wanted to make it extra special. He gathered all the newsies together and they planned a party.

It was practically impossible to keep it a secret. Katherine was incredible at finding things out, especially with news boys who would not shut up. Like the time that Jack had set up a planning meeting while forgetting that he was supposed to meet Katherine for a date. She waited a while for him. When he didn't show up, she went to see if anyone had seen him. She walked into the room when Davey was saying something to Jack.

"We could make a giant banner that says 'Happy Birthday Ka-" he stopped when he realized she was in the room. Jack grinned sheepishly, suddenly remembering their date.

"Whose birthday?" she asked. Davey thought quickly.

"My cousin... Kathleen. Yeah." he said. Somehow, Katherine believed it. Poor Davey.

Finally, the day came. Jack was to keep Katherine away from the building until they were ready. He took her on a long picnic and walked her back ridiculously slowly.

"Jack, can't you speed up a little? Even on my birthday, I still have work to do." she asked. Jack sighed, hoping the boys were ready. He quickened his pace. Once they reached the building, Jack looked up at the window. Specs was signaling to stall for another minute. As Katherine was about to open the door, Jack stepped in front of her.

Katherine's POV

"Jack... What are you doing?" she asked. He grinned.

"What? Don't I get a kiss for taking you on a birthday picnic and walking you home?" Jack asked.

"You know I've kissed you at least twenty times today." Katherine sighed. As much as she wanted to kiss him...

"C'mon Ace. Don't be stubborn." he pleaded. Katherine smiled. One kiss never hurt anyone. She leaned over and kissed him tenderly. Jack put his hands on her waist after a moment. Finally, Katherine pulled away.

"Happy now?" she asked teasingly.

"Very. Let's get inside, it looks like it might rain." he replied. The two went inside. Katherine opened the door to the living room to hear a collective shout.

"SURPRISE!" shouted the boys. Katherine sure was surprised. She saw beautiful decorations and there was Davey's banner he made for her.

"This... This is amazing! Thank you so much!" she said to everyone. Gifts were presented. The last one was from Jack. Katherine tore open the wrapping. It was a brand new typewriter, complete with paper and ink!

"Thank you! First, you take me on a picnic, then you give me this gift, and now I know you planned this party! I could just marry you!" she said, not meaning to let the words of the last sentence slip out. Jack, who was not expecting this, grinned at the thought.

"What's stopping you?" he said. Katherine sputtered, trying to make a cohesive sentence.

"W-what?" she finally said.

"Weren't you listening, Ace? I said, 'What's stopping you?' As in, why don't you marry me?" Jack laughed. Katherine was still at a loss for words. The newsies were watching carefully. This was one thing Jack had not planned at all.

"Really? Y-you really mean it?" Katherine squeaked out. Jack nodded. A smile spread across her face.

"To answer your question Jack, nothing is stopping me. I love you!" she said. Jack threw his arms around her. The newsies cheered as the two hugged.

"Hey Jack, are you guys gonna have a real wedding?" asked Specs, knowing full well how poor Jack was. Not as poor as he used to be, but still poor.

"Of course we are! It would be improper not to!" he said. Whether or not they actually would, nobody knew. But Jack was getting paid now, and Katherine's father was rich. They were hoping for the best. Les came running up to them.

"Who's gonna be the best man?" he asked. Jack ruffled Les's hair.

"I don't know!" he said. But he turned and winked at Davey. Jack went to talk to Davey privately.

"You will, won't you? Be my best man, I mean." Jack said. Davey nodded.

"Just one question. Did you plan on proposing to Katherine today?" he asked. Jack grinned and shook his head.

"Not at all. But I do want to marry her. When she blurted out that she wanted to marry me, I took my chances." he explained. Specs joined them.

"Hey Jack, how did you manage to stall for those extra minutes?" he asked.

"I get da feeling I'll never hear da end of this." Jack said.

"No, you probably won't." Specs grinned. Jack shrugged.

"Take a guess." he said. Just then, Katherine motioned him over. She had been talking to Romeo and Race when a thought occurred to her.

"Jack, there's one thing we have to figure out." she said. Jack knew it before she spoke.

"What?"

"My father." she said reluctantly.

"He still don't like me?" he asked.

"Well..."

"It's been five years since I left you and the boys. I came back pretty quick." Jack said.

"I know. It's really hard for him to trust people. Especially ones that leave their girlfriend without telling her why and traveling hundreds of miles away." she pointed out.

"Again, I came back, didn't I?" Jack frowned. Katherine took his hand.

"Yes, you did. I promise we'll figure something out. I'm sure once my father realizes how much we love each other, he'll let us get married." she said hopefully. Jack stared at her.

"Even if he doesn't want us to, it ain't stopping me." he decided.

A/N: I warned you about the adorableness. Shall I write the wedding scene next?


	5. Chapter 5

**Love this story so much! I know I update really fast, but when I get ideas I have to write them down or I'll burst. I was originally going to make this two different chapters but… I like it better this way. It's an especially long chapter. Enjoy!**

Jack's POV

It was the day before the wedding. Jack was eating dinner with Katherine and then he would stay with Davey and his folks for the night. At 8:00, Davey would be waiting outside for him. Jack had two hours left to spend with Katherine before he married her. The dinner was surprisingly silent. It seemed that both of them were too nervous to speak. They feared that if they said the wrong thing, it would ruin everything. Finally Jack, uncomfortable with the silence, spoke.

"So...you nervous for tomorrow?" he asked. Katherine looked up from her food. She had been playing with her food for the past five minutes and almost forgot he was there.

"Yeah...But I'm not sure why. I mean, we love each other and we want to get married. We've been planning this for months. Not once did we doubt each other or ourselves." she said. Jack nodded.

"You're right. And I don't see why we're so quiet this fine evening." he mentioned. Katherine smiled.

"I don't know. I guess we're just anxious. What do you want to talk about?" she asked. Jack shrugged.

"I don't know. The past? The future? Though I'll admit, the future scares me a little." he said quietly.

"Don't be scared by it. For one thing, I'll be with you the whole time." Katherine said. Jack grinned at her.

"That's what I'm scared of." he joked. Katherine smacked his arm playfully.

"What is it really about the future that scares you?" she asked.

"Money. I mean, I know your family has money an' all that, but I don't want to depend fully on that." he muttered, getting up and sitting on the couch.

"But, you have the illustration job from that newspaper in Santa Fe. You've been working for them for almost six years and they increase your pay every year." Katherine pointed out. She sat next to him on the couch.

"I know. But it's on a picture-by-picture basis. Remember last year when they didn't need as many drawings? Since they paid me by the drawings, I had almost no money last year." Jack reminded his soon-to-be wife.

"Jack, I'm sure we'll manage." was all Katherine could think of to say. Jack took her hand.

"Not to mention the fact that...well...someday it won't be just the two of us. We'll probably have kids at some point an' I know those are expensive." Jack said, his cheeks tinged with pink at the thought of having a kid with Katherine. He looked over and was relieved to see that Katherine was blushing a little, too.

"True, Jack, but if we ever need help… I'm sure my father would be okay with helping a little. In an emergency, I mean."

"Can we agree that we'll only ask for help if we absolutely must?" he made her agree.

"Of course. Anything else you want to discuss? Something less depressing, I hope." Katherine said. Jack smiled. He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"I love you. That's not too much of a depressing topic, I hope." he added. Katherine laughed.

"No, it's just perfect. Are you ready for us to get married?" she asked.

"You bet. Since you'll be moving in with me, I got us an apartment!" Jack announced.

"You WHAT! Jack that's...amazing! I was wondering how we were going to work that out." she exclaimed. She hugged him close. He hugged her back.

"You surprise me so often." Katherine sighed. "In a good way." she added when Jack gave her a teasingly suspicious look.

"Do you want to move in tomorrow night, after the reception?" he asked. Katherine nodded. Both of them knew they wouldn't have a real honeymoon, so it made sense for her to move in immediately.

"I wish we could have a real honeymoon. But if we do, we won't have any money to actually live!" Jack sighed.

"So do I. But, neither of us will have to do any work for two weeks!" Katherine reminded him cheerfully. Jack smiled. He wanted nothing more than to spend those long hours with her. No worries, no work. Just the two of them. It would be perfect. Jack looked at the clock. It was 7:55. Jack got up and started to clear the table.

"It's almost 8:00." he explained. Katherine looked disappointed, as she always did when they had to end a date. She stood up and helped Jack clean the table. Soon, it was time for Jack to go.

"I can't wait to see you tomorrow." Jack said before kissing her. Katherine returned the kiss.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then." she smiled. Jack went outside and saw Davey waiting for him.

"You ready?" Davey asked. Jack stayed silent for a moment, as if still deciding.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am." he replied with a grin. And he was telling the truth.

No one's POV

The next thing Katherine knew, she was waiting to walk down the aisle. The morning had all been a blur. She knew she wouldn't remember anything but the moments happening right then. Moments later, she was walking. Yes, they were in a real church. Nothing fancy, just a church. She felt all eyes on her as she made her way towards Jack. He looked like an entirely different person, dressed in a tuxedo and with his hair combed nicely. He didn't take his eyes off of her for the whole ceremony.

The vows came and went quickly. Finally, the marriage was sealed with a kiss. The half-filled church erupted in cheers.

The reception was fun for all who attended. There was champagne, food, and socializing. Katherine and Jack stayed by each other almost the entire time. Davey insisted upon making jokes about the couple. The other Newsies joined in as the couple laughed. The higher class that attended was a little shocked at the behavior from the boys. They weren't used to being around people who found such happiness in roughhousing. At one point, Pulitzer pulled Jack aside.

"Mr. Kelly, I must say you clean up well."

"Thanks. Is that all you wanted to say?" Jack asked. Pulitzer smiled slightly.

"No. Please, sit down." he said. Jack sat. Whenever he was told to sit, it made him uneasy.

"What is it?"

"Nothing to worry about. You know full well that I did not approve of your relationship with my daughter when this all began five years ago."

"Yeah. But you seem more supportive now. Or, at least, that's what Katherine says."

"I am, Mr. Kelly. As much as it never made sense to me that Katherine would want to marry someone of lower class, I can see how much you two care for each other. That's what changed my mind. The times you stood up for each other and those moments when you seemed genuinely concerned for her...You impressed me." Pulitzer explained. And with that, he went to go greet Katherine and some of her friends.

Specs joined Jack for a moment.

"What was that about?" he asked.

"I finally got approval from Pulitzer." Jack grinned. Everything was turning out okay.

**A/N: I know this chapter had so much odd pacing, but this was how I imagined it. Anyhow, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know of any suggestions you might have. I'm not quite sure where to take this story. **


	6. Chapter 6

**No reviews? Really? Just kidding, I'm not upset. I understand that you guys all have lives. Anyway, I'm clueless as to how I want to continue this. Suggestions, please! Anyway, here's the next chapter. Its mostly just a filler until I can come up with ideas. Enjoy! **

Jack's POV

Jack took a deep breath before entering the lodging house. He knew all the newsies were there, for it was stormy outside. Besides that, it was noisy. He hadn't seen the boys since his wedding. It had been three weeks.

As he stood in the doorway, a hushed silence fell upon the news boys. They hadn't expected Jack to be back so early. Furthermore, they expected Katherine to be with him. Seriously, those two were NEVER apart. Unless Katherine was at work. Cheers erupted through the stillness as everyone rushed to Jack.

"Jack!"

"You're back!"

"How's married life, Jack?"

"Hey, where's Katherine? We wanted to see her too!"

"Hey! Calm down!" Jack put his hands up to make everyone quiet. "I'll answer your questions, but you need to wait your turn! First question...Married life is great, just a bit different. Next? Yes, I love Katherine. Yes, I love her a lot. Yes, I- Romeo, I'm not answering that!" Jack answered questions as best he could. Les came running up to him.

"Where's Katherine?" he asked eagerly. "We hoped to see her, too."

"I'm sure she'll see you guys soon, but she's at work now. Since she took a few weeks off, they're giving her a lot to do. I don't know how she does it all." Jack replied. They guys grinned. Davey pushed forward and tried to create some space between Jack and the others. Very little success.

"Well, we're all glad to have ya back. Come on, boys, we need to sell some papes!" He smiled. As the boys filed out, Jack began to follow.

"Jack, I thought you had a job for newspaper in Santa Fe." said Specs, a little confused.

"I do, but I still need to make a little extra just in case." Jack explained. The boys cheered once again. They were happy to have Jack again.

Jack spent almost the rest of the day with them. Later, Davey pulled Jack aside.

"We really are glad you're back, you know." he said.

"I know you are. Something wrong, Dave?"

"Wrong? No. It's just… we figured that you'd stop visiting us an' all that now that you were married. But you came back to work with us again… We really appreciate it, Jack." Davey explained.

"Dave, you guys are my family. No way in hell would I ever abandon you guys." Jack replied with full sincerity.

"I know, Jack. I think I always knew that."

**A/N: Short, I know, but I need suggestions!**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: thanks for the suggestions everyone! I always need suggestions, so feel free to help out! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

Katherine's POV

Jack came home from his work early. Katherine had asked that he be home before dinner so he could speak to him. She was waiting for him when he opened the door. He greeted her with a kiss.

"What did you need me home so early for?" he asked, sitting next to her. Katherine looked uneasy.

"We've been invited to dinner tomorrow night."

"That's great! By who?"

"My father."

"Oh. Not as great." This made Jack nervous. He may have gotten approval from Pulitzer, but they still felt like they had to hide their relationship. Even now, when they had been married almost a year, it still made them uncomfortable. Katherine shrugged.

"Maybe we can finally prove that we shouldn't be uncomfortable around him." she assured him. Jack nodded slowly.

"You're right. He has no right to say what we can and cannot do." he decided before kissing her again.

Jack's POV

Before they knew it, it was the next evening. Jack was wearing some nice pants and a button down shirt, while Katherine wore a more formal version of her usual skirts and shirt. Jack noticed that it seemed a little more loose than usual, but he brushed it off.

From the moment they got there, Jack was uncomfortable. It seemed like Pulitzer was watching his every move.

"So, Mr. Kelly, what exactly do you do for a living?" Pulitzer questioned.

"I'm an artist. Specifically, I do drawings for a newspaper in Santa Fe." Jack replied.

"Do you travel a lot, then?"

"Not at all. I'm always home with Katherine or selling papes with the boys. You see, I mail them the drawings." Jack explained, keeping his cool.

"And are you paid per drawing?"

"Yes, sir."

"Katherine, this is what I meant by financially unstable. If they don't need drawings, he gets no money." Pulitzer said, turning towards his daughter. Katherine winced at this. She grabbed Jack's hand under the table as if to keep him calm.

"That's not my only job. I still sell papers with the newsies." Jack commented. Pulitzer was silent for a moment.

"I don't understand you, Jack. You married a wealthy young lady, yet you still hang around with the scum of the streets." Pulitzer could insult Jack all he wanted, but the boys were his family. Katherine gave Jack a fretful glance.

"Them boys is my family. I would never abandon them." Jack explained. Pulitzer sighed.

"I see you still have that disgusting street rat dialect." Pulitzer mentioned.

"You, sir, are incredibly rude! I can't do anything about who I am!" Jack stood up. Katherine stood as well.

"I think we should go." she said nervously. No one heard her.

"I can't believe you'd insult them like that. They mean the world to me!" Jack continued. Now Pulitzer was standing, too.

"You are only as good as the people you associate yourself with, Mr. Kelly." Pulitzer commented. Jack was furious now.

"You, sir, are stubborn and a liar and a cheat!" he yelled. Pulitzer turned to Katherine, who was trying to sneak out of the room.

"Do you hear this, Katherine? He would go so far as to yell at and insult his father-in-law! Why didn't you take my advice and get away from him?" he asked in anger.

"Because I'm going to have a baby, that's why!" Katherine blurted out. The reactions were as follows. Katherine, upon realizing what she'd revealed, darted put of the room. Jack froze in his tracks. Once he processed everything, he went to follow Katherine. Pulitzer just stared at the doorway and didn't know what to do.

Katherine's POV

What had she done? She had been planning on telling Jack at a better time. Preferably when her father wasn't around. She sat on the front steps of the building where her father lived. She put her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. Jack snuck down the steps and sat next to her.

"Is it true?" he asked.

"Yeah. I found out yesterday. That's why I had that doctors appointment."

"Oh. I assumed that was like an annual check up or something." he said.

"It wasn't. It's due in January." It was now the middle of May. They had about seven and a half months to prepare. "I'm scared, Jack. It's hard enough now with the two of us. And soon, it'll be the three of us."

"I know. I promise we'll find a way to make it work. I love you. And the baby." Jack assured her. She took his hand.

"I suppose we should go and explain things to my father." Katherine sighed.

"Not yet. Let's give him time to cool down, first."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thanks for reviewing and still supporting this story. I have a pretty good idea of what the last chapter will be, it's just a matter of how much I want to put between now and then. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

Katherine's POV

"Katherine, we've got to tell the boys soon or they'll figure it out themselves." Jack reminded her as she made breakfast. It was a week and a half later.

"Alright. Why don't we tell them after I get out of work today?" Katherine suggested. Jack nodded.

"Okay. I'll gather them together at the lodging house around six o'clock." he decided.

"Wonderful!" she smiled. She didn't see the newsies very often anymore. After eating breakfast, she went to work.

Some time later, she made her way to the lodging house to meet Jack. She waited outside for him. Luckily, he was alone. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Ready?" he asked. Katherine shrugged.

"I guess so." she replied. In reality, she was a bit nervous, though she wasn't sure why. She smiled as Jack opened the door. She knew the boys would be happy for them.

"Hey, guys!" Jack called to them. The boys shouted various responses. A few of them stood up and ran over when they saw Katherine.

"Katherine! We haven't seen you in forever!" said Les, grinning as he hugged her.

"It's good to see you!" she replied happily.

"So, uh, what's new? We've had to wait all day for this announcement!" Romeo commented. He had guessed what was going on immediately after Jack had told them about the announcement. Seriously, if a married couple is happy to make an announcement, what else could it be? Jack leaned over and mentioned something to Katherine.

"Do you want to say it, or should I?" he whispered.

"Go ahead, you've known them almost your whole life. You deserve to tell them." she smiled. Jack nodded.

"Alright, boys. You know that Katherine and I have an announcement to make. Ready to hear it?" he loved making them anxious.

"Just say it already!" half of them shouted together.

"Well... Katherine and I... We're going to be parents!" Jack told everyone. Cheers erupted from the newsies. Les, on the other hand, was a bit confused.

"So you're gonna adopt someone?" he asked. Romeo rolled his eyes.

"No, stupid. Katherine is gonna have a baby!" he explained. Les grinned, finally understanding.

"Congrats! I know you two will be great parents!" Davey congratulated them.

"Thanks, Dave. I'm nervous, but I've got seven months to prepare." Jack commented. Davey counted the months in his head.

"So... It's due in January?" he guessed. Katherine nodded happily. She was beyond excited. Davey asked if she wanted a boy or a girl.

"I want a girl. Considering I'm friends with you guys, I'm around boys all the time. Therefore, a girl would be nice to have around." she explained. Jack grinned.

"I, on the other hand, want a boy. I've been living with boys so long, I'm not sure I could handle a girl." he joked. Everyone laughed. Davey brought up a more serious point.

"How did your father take the news? After you explained, I mean." he asked, having heard about the incident at dinner. Katherine took a moment to explain to the others what had happened before answering.

"Well, he was angry at first. I mean, I can't leave Jack now. But, I think he's happy for me. Not for Jack, but for me."

"Man, I wish he'd get over his issues with Jack." Specs commented. "I mean, if Katherine is happy, that's all that should matter to him." Everyone nodded in silent agreement. After a moment, Katherine broke the silence.

"You should've seen the look on his face when I told him I was getting married. He was happy, until he found out it was Jack." she smirked.

"I'll bet he was mad. So, have you two made plans for the baby yet?" one of the newsies asked.

"Yeah. We have a small guest room, but we're turning it into the nursery." Jack said. "I'll probably be home the most, since I don't really have a full-time job."

"During the first few months, I'll stay home, of course. But I might not go back to work right away after that. I really dont know." Katherine mentioned.

"Well, whatever happens, you two will be great parents." Romeo decided.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Nothing, really. I don't own Newsies. Here's the chapter. Enjoy!

SEVEN MONTHS LATER

Jack's POV

"Jack! You need to relax! Go have fun with the guys! I'll be fine. Besides, Davey will be here, and Race will be here later, in case anything happens. You've been so nervous lately. You need a break." Katherine pleaded. She was right. Jack hadn't been able to relax ever since the doctor said it would be any day now.

"But the doctor said any day now!"

"Any day, not any second! Jack, can you go get the door please?" she added as a knock sounded on the door. Jack got up and opened the door. It was Davey.

"Hi Jack. Hey Katherine!" he greeted them. Katherine smiled.

"Would you mind explaining to Jack that I'll be fine while he's gone?" she said. Davey turned to Jack.

"She'll be fine! Look, if anything happens, I'll call you at the lodging house."

"There's a phone there?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, it was expensive, but we managed to buy it."

"Alright. If anything happens, call. Even if it's just a normal cramp, call me anyway. I've heard stories about people thinking its a normal cramp, but its really the real thing." Jack instructed. He gave Katherine a kiss.

"As annoying as you can be, you are sweet. I'll see you later." Katherine said after kissing him back.

"I love you." Jack said, still not leaving.

"I love you, too. Now, go." Katherine said. Jack turned and left, closing the apartment door behind him. Davey sighed.

"So, what is it that you'll be doing while I'm here?" he asked. He knew why Jack wanted him there, but he wasn't clear on whether or not Katherine had anything to do.

"Well, I'm probably going to be sewing or something. There some books over there if you want to read. We could talk, if you want." she mused. Davey sat in a chair across from her.

"We can talk I guess. Is Jack really that nervous about the baby coming?" he asked. Katherine laughed.

"Yes, he is. Ever since the doctor said it would be any day now. I feel like I haven't been alone for at least a week." she explained. This made Davey smile.

"He always was protective." he commented.

Jack's POV

Jack stayed at the lodging house. He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling that in the next twenty-four hours he'd become a father.

"Jack, are you sure?"

"Yeah, I am." he said. "I gotta go back."

"You just got here! Jack, it'll be fine. Besides, Davey said he'd call if anything happens." one of the newsies pointed out.

"In case you haven't noticed, it's the middle of January and there's ice everywhere. It would take forever to get there!" Jack protested. Specs pointed out that Davey was smart enough to be able to take care of her until Jack was there. It took a while, but they managed to convince him. He began to play cards with Romeo and Specs.

Eventually, Race got up and left. He, like Davey, was assigned to stay with Katherine while Jack was gone. After half an hour, the phone rang. Everyone went dead silent until someone got up the nerve to get it. Romeo answered it, while Jack gave everyone an "I told you so" look.

"Hello? This is Romeo speaking."

"Romeo? It's Davey. Look, Jack said to call if the baby is coming... and... well... " poor Davey couldn't form a complete sentence .

"It's the baby, isn't it." Romeo figured. It was more of a statement and less of a question.

"Well... yeah. Listen, tell Jack that Race and I will take her to the hospital. Have him meet us there. Got it?"

"Yeah. I'll have Jack meet you there. Bye. And good luck." Romeo hung up. When he turned to Jack, he found him passed out on the floor.

"What happened to him?"

"Once he realized that this was reality, he passed out." Specs replied. Romeo grinned.

"Well, we don't have much time. I vote we carry him there and wake him once we're there." He decided. Specs nodded and the two boys lifted him off the floor.

When they got there, they found Davey and Race.

"What happened to Jack?" Davey asked. Jack had not been revived yet.

"He got a little nervous. How's Katherine?" Romeo asked.

"Fine. The doctor says she'll be fine. I think she's in the delivery room now." Davey replied, filling a paper cup with water. He splashed it on Jack, who sputtered awake.

"What was that for?" he asked angrily.

"I felt like you should be awake while your wife is having a baby." Davey shrugged. Jack remembered what was going on.

"Right. I wish I could be there with her." he muttered.

"Rules are rules." Specs reminded him as they all sat down. Quite a bit of time went by. No one knew how long, there was no clock in the waiting room. Jack spent the whole time alternating between pacing around the room and sitting restlessly. Finally, as the four boys tried to keep Jack still, a nurse came in.

"Mr. Kelly?" she asked. Jack bolted upright and almost ran to the nurse.

"Yes?"

"Everything went well. In a little bit, you can see your wife and child." the nurse replied. Jack almost jumped up and down with joy. Just before the nurse left, Jack remembered a question he wanted to ask.

"Wait. Is it a boy or a girl?" he asked. The nurse smiled.

"A girl." was all she said. Jack ran over to the boys.

"A daughter! I got a daughter!" he cried. The boys congratulated him, I as did everyone else in the room. The nurse had told him it would be a little while until he could see Katherine, so he and the boys went out to buy flowers for her. When they got back, only Jack was allowed in Katherine's hospital room. She was sitting up, waiting for him to come in. She was tired, but happy.

"How do you feel?" Jack asked her.

"Excited. Tired. Happy. They'll bring her in soon. I bet she's perfect." Katherine added. She was right about both things. They brought her in, and she was perfect.

"What should we name her?" Katherine asked. Jack held his precious daughter for several moments before deciding.

"Rebecca. You decide the middle name." he decided. Katherine nodded slightly, taking her daughter in her arms.

"I like Rebecca. I just don't know about the middle name."

"Try something traditional. Or a family name." Jack suggested.

"Or both. What about Mary? It was my mother's name. Think about it."

"Rebecca Mary Kelly. It's quite pretty all together like that. It's official!" Jack said, being the first to say her full name.

The next morning, other people were allowed to visit. First were Davey and Les. Davey got to hold Rebecca first, of course.

"She's a cutie, that's for sure." he smiled at her.

"Dave, we'd like to ask a favor of you and Les." Jack began.

"Anything, Jack."

"We want you two to be honorary uncles." Katherine stated. "You see, I don't have any siblings, and neither does Jack. We want Rebecca to have a good family." As she finished explaining, the brothers nodded.

"Of course we will. I think it's great you want her to have a nice family." Les told them. Davey was still holding her.

"You gonna give her a nickname or something?" he asked.

"I don't know. We might just keep her as Rebecca." Jack replied. "Dave, let your brother hold her for a minute." He could tell that Les was about to complain. Davey smiled and handed her over. Katherine took a moment to show Les how to hold the baby.

"Hi, Rebecca. I'm your uncle Les." he said. Rebecca waved a tiny fist at him. Jack laughed.

"I think she likes you!" he said happily. Nothing could make him happier than that moment. For one thing, he had a wonderful daughter. Second of all, he was so proud of Katherine. She was strong, mentally and physically. Finally, it was just a wonderful sight, seeing Davey and Les cooing over Rebecca. It seemed that everything was... perfect.


End file.
